Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)Dung Beetles Index Digitonthophagus gazella Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle) Euoniticellus pallipes (Southern Sandy Dung Beetle) Onitis alexis Onitis viridulus Onthophagus australis Onthophagus dandalu (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus declivis (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus ferox (Western Dung Beetle) Onthophagus neostenocerus

Euoniticellus intermedius, commonly known as the Northern Sandy Dung Beetle, is one of four Euoniticellus species introduced to Australia to assist with tackling the dung produced by cattle and other farm animals.

Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT
Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT

Between 1967 and 1982, CSIRO imported 55 species of dung beetles for release in Australia. Of these, 37 were intended for summer rainfall regions of Northern Australia. Eight species were reared in insufficient numbers, but the remaining 29 species were liberated in at least one locality in Northern Australia; 22 of these originated from southern Africa.

Eight species are now well established and widespread in Queensland. Two of these, Onthophagus gazella and Euoniticellus intermedius, were considered to have reached their limits of distribution years ago, extending over most of Northern Australia.

Source: Dung beetle program, CSIROpedia5

Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT
Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT
Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT
Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT
Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT
Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle), Alice Springs NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
  • Family: Scarabaeidae
  • Subfamily: Scarabaeinae
  • Tribe: Oniticellini
  • Genus: Euoniticellus
  • Species: Euoniticellus intermedius

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks to Andras Szito and John Allen for ID, member of Australasian Beetles Only, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
  2. Northern Sandy Dung Beetle (Euoniticellus intermedius), donna391, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/209109-Euoniticellus-intermedius
  3. Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche, 1849), Northern Sandy Dung Beetle, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Euoniticellus intermedius
  4. Euoniticellus intermedius, Dung Beetle Species, Dung Beetles in the South West of Western Australia, Warren Catchments Council, https://www.dungbeetlessouthwest.org.au/euoniticellus-intermedius
  5. Dung beetle program, by Colin Ward, February 21st, 2011, CSIROpedia, https://csiropedia.csiro.au/dung-beetle-program/
  6. Beetles with benefits, Dung Beetle, Ecosystem Engineers, https://www.dungbeetles.com.au/

Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles)Dung Beetles Index Digitonthophagus gazella Euoniticellus intermedius (Northern Sandy Dung Beetle) Euoniticellus pallipes (Southern Sandy Dung Beetle) Onitis alexis Onitis viridulus Onthophagus australis Onthophagus dandalu (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus declivis (Dung Beetle) Onthophagus ferox (Western Dung Beetle) Onthophagus neostenocerus

ScarabaeidaeScarabaeidae Index Bisallardiana Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles) Schizognathus compressicornis

ColeopteraColeoptera Index Amarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Aphanestes gymnopleura Aporocera speciosa Atractocerus crassicornis Blackburnium cavicolle Buprestidae Carphurus Cerambycidae Chalcopteroides (Chalcopterus Beetle) Christmas Beetles Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles) Coleoptera (Beetles) Curculionidae Dicranolaius cinctus Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Hydrophilus Ladybirds (Beetles) Lepidiota Lucanidae Lycidae Malachiinae Mordellidae (Pintail Beetles) Neospades sp Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsisterna sp Phorticosomus sp Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhinotia haemoptera Rhipiceridae Scarabaeidae Tenebrionidae Xylophilostenus octophyllus

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub